System for reclamation of land



March 19, 1968 HQRNBOSTEIL, JR 3,373,568

SYSTEM FOR RECLAMATION OF LAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 13, 1965 I NVENTOR. LLOYD HOENBOSTEL J12.

5y 7 ATTORNEYS March 19, 1968 L. HORNBOSTEL, JR 3,373,568

SYSTEM FOR RECLAMATION OF LAND Filed Sept. 13, 1965 /Vl i P42 l 2Sheets-Sheet 2 izififiL/ /f// I N VENTOR. LLOYD Honzwaosrn J2.

3,373,568 SYSTEM FHC'R REELAMATEQN F LAND Lloyd Hornhostei, J13, 1801Chippewa Trail, Beioit, Wis. 53511 Filed Sept. 13, H65, 502. No. 486,706Claims. (Ci. 61-5) ABS-TRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE System for thereclamation of land by placing spaced elongated flexible sealed bagsfilled with a mixture of aggregate and water along the shore line inoverlapping elationship. The bags are made from a plastic material andmay be covered by a nylon netting and have anchors at their oppositeends for the attachment of anchoring cables, anchoring the bags to theshore to extend with their longest dimensions parallel to the shortline. The bags may be anchored in staggered relation with respect toeach other with two advance bags lapped at the ends thereof by atrailing bag spaced from the two advanced bags to take care of anon-shore wash. The bags also may be angularly disposed with respect tothe shore line and extending in spaced parallel staggered relationshipwith respect to each other in positions orthogonally with respect to thedirection of the wash, where the wash is a long-shore wash.

This invention relates generally to a system for the reclamation of landand more particularly to a novel method and apparatus for protecting ashore line and removing suspended sediment in the water adjacent a shoreline and depositing such sediment on the shore. The present inventionaccomplishes the several novel results by absorbing energy from a wavefront and trapping the water of the wave front from the receding waterof the remaining portion of the wave which allows suspended sedimenttherein to be deposited on the shore. The instant invention exemplifiedherein has particular application in those shore line areas where tidalaction occurs. However, it is to be understood that the presentinvention may be employed in other shore line areas and is not dependentupon tidal action for satisfactory achievement of the several novelresults thereof.

Damage to shore line areas and to beaches is commonly caused by theerosion effect of waves attacking the shore line and carrying away earthand sand. This problem is particularly acute in those areas which havebeen developed for commercial use. Such development is commonlypracticed in those shore line areas which have very little or no sandavailable for forming suitable beaches for commercial use. When sand isdeposited in such areas for improving the commercial use of the land,erosion effects of the Waves will eventually carry all of the depositedsand away from the area.

In addition, many or" the natural sand beaches are being constantlychanged as the sand is shifted by the action of the water in the form ofwaves and tidal currents. Since the development of man made beaches isexpensive, primarily due to the cost of transporting sand and othermaterials, and, since the maintenance of existing natural beaches is aserious problem, a need exists for structures which will eliminatedamage to a shore line and which will further reclaim a portion of thesediment suspended in the water adjacent a shore line. Such structures,therefore, not only will protect existing beaches from the erosioneffects of the water, but will provide a means for enlarging the beacharea and maintaining a proper amount of sand on and adjacent the beacharea.

In the past, shore lines have been protected by seawalls and pylonsdriven into the earth covered by water and Patented Mar. 19, 1968 spaceda short distance from the beach. The primary difficulty which such priorstructures is that of the expense inuvolved in having such structureserected and maintained. Furthermore, sea walls, breakwater walls, andpylons being permanent type structures present a hazard to navigationand mar the beauty of a beach employed for commercial purposes.Furthermore, it is well known that pylons attract sharks and otherdangerous fish which may present a safety hazard to swimmers in thebeach area.

Although removable breakwater structures have been employed forprotecting recreational areas adjacent a shore line from waves, suchprior art structures are not Well suited for the protection of the beachnor for the reclamation of land in the form of sediment in the water.For instance, flexible buoyant materials have been placed in the wateradjacent a shore line to dampen the effect of waves on a recreationalarea or the like immediately adjacent a beach. Also, flexible barriershave been employed in the water, usually below the surface thereof, fordampening the energy of the incoming waves. However, these latter priorart structures, although satisfactory for the intended purpose ofprotecting a recreational water area, are not intended for use and arenot satisfactory for reclaiming land in the form of suspended sedimentin the water. Furthermore, many of these prior art structures are notcompletely satisfactory as energy absorbers, since they are disposedbelow the surface of the water and the energy of the wave passingthereover is substantially not affected.

ice

Summary and objects 0 the invention T erefore, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide a method of and apparatus for protecting ashore line from the eifects of tidal currents and waves.

' It is another object of the present invention to provide a method ofand apparatus for absorbing energy from water waves and tidal currentsadjacent a shore line.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method ofand apparatus for removing suspended sediment in water adjacent a shoreline and depositing such sediment on the shore or beach.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for theprotection of a shore line and for re claiming land in the form ofsuspended sediment in water adjacent a shore line and depositing suchland or sediment on the shore.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method ofand apparatus for protecting and developing a shore line which is lessexpensive than the heretofore known methods and apparatus.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a methodof and apparatus for protecting and developing a shore line which iseasily removable and portable so as not to reduce the commercial use ofthe shore line nor mar the beauty thereof.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more fully realized and understood from the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view in transverse section of the apparatus of thepresent invention illustrated in relation to the water level;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of the presentinvention and illustrating its relative position during the passage of awater wave thereover;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view in transverse section of theapparatus of the present invention illustrating its relative positionafter a wave has passed thereover and is receding from the beach;

FIGURE 4 is a top view illustrating a system employing the apparatus ofthe present invention for an onshore wash; and

FIGURE 5 is a top view illustrating a system of the present inventionfor a longshore wash.

Like reference numerals throughout the various views of the drawings areintended to designate the same or similar structures.

As shown on the drawings:

With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIGURE 1, there isshown the preferred form of the present invention positioned along ashore line which includes a beach and a beachhead 12. The average ornominal level of the water is indicated by the line 14. The novelapparatus of the present invention includes a flexible bag 16 in theshape of a cylinder and of the type commonly used to barge liquids underwater. The bag 16 is preferably formed of reinforced polypropylene whichis self-sealing. In the preferred form of the present invention, the bag16 was formed of a polypropylene dunnage bage in the shape of a cylindereight feet in length and thirty-six inches in diameter. The bag 16 iscovered with a nylon netting 18.

The bag 16 is filled with a clean grade of gravel 20 having a uniformstone-size diameter in the preferred form of the present invention ofone-fourth inch. It is to be understood, however, that larger aggregatemay be employed and the size of the aggregate will vary with the size ofthe bag 16. The bag 16 is filled from between to 90% by volume with thegravel 20. The amount of gravel or aggregate 20 employed in the bag 16controls the ballast thereof. In the preferred form of the presentinvention, the bag 16 was 70% filled with the gravel 20.

Water, indicated with the reference numeral 22, is placed in the bag 16over and through the gravel 20 to provide lubricating qualities to thegravel to allow the gravel to move as a semi-fluid mass. The remainingvolume of the bag 16 which may vary from 10% to 50% is filled with airsuch that the bag 16 assumes the crosssectional shape illustrated inFIGURE 1. The water 22 may be added to the gravel 20 until it attains alevel equal to that of the gravel 20, or it may be filled to provide asmall layer of water over the gravel 20 as illustrated in FIGURE 1. Anair pocket 24, which is the space remaining in the bag 16 after thegravel 20 and water 22 are added, allows the upper portion of the bag 16to be relatively more pliable than the lower portion thereof surroundingthe gravel 20. Therefore, the bag 16 and its contents including thegravel 20, the water 22, and the air define a resilient barrier havinggreater flexibility at the upper portions theerof and decreasing inflexibility toward the bottom portions thereof. It is to be understood,however, that the air pocket 24 is not sulficiently large to allow thebag 16 to float in water. Be-

cause of the relative distribution of the aggregate 20,

the water 22, and the air in the air pocket 24, a large surface area ofthe bag 16 remains in contact with the beach 10 to prevent channeling.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the bag 16 during maximum impact position thereofwhen the crest of a wave 26 is passing thereover. As shown, the bag 16conforms to the energy profile of the wave 26, absorbing energytherefrom and allowing excess water to spill over the top of the bag 16.The bag 16 is provided with an anchor pin 28 centered at each endthereof which is secured by means of a cord 30 or other suitable meansto a pylon 32. A centerline 34 of the pylon 32, as illustrated inFIGURES 1 and 2, provides an indication of the relative movement of thebag 16 during impact of a wave thereon. That is, when the wave 26strikes the bag 16, the bag 16 rolls up the beach 10 toward thebeachhead 12 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. However, the aggregate 20remains in the bottom portion of the bag 16 to maintain the stability ofthe bag 16 and further to maintain a large surface area of the bag 16 incontact with the beach 10. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the bag 16 isnormally positioned such that the highest point at which the water willreach is lower than the top portion of the bag 16. Therefore, the crestof the wave 26 must iiow upwardly over the top of the bag 16 and spillover behind it. Because the bag 16 is allowed to move with impact of thewave 26 thereon, energy in the wave 26 is absorbed by the bag 16 anddestructive effects of the wave 26 are substantially eliminated.

The pylons 32 may be supported in sockets 36 sunk into the beach 10 suchthat the pylons 32 and the bag 16 may be removed during their non-use.Caps may be provided for the sockets 36 during their non-use toeliminate sand and other sediment from accumulating therein.

That portion of the vater which passes over the bag 16 accumulatesbetween the bag 16 and the beachhead 12, as indicated by the referencenumeral 38 in FIGURE 3. The remaining portiot: of the wave recedes fromthe beach 10 as indicated by the reference numeral 40. The force of theponded water 33 forces the bag 16 to roll down the beach 10, asillustrated in FIGURE 3. The large surface contact of the bag 16 withthe beach 10 eliminates underwash of the water 38 thereunder. The pondedwater 38 returns to the lower water 40 by sinking into the sand and byend wash around the ends of the bag 16. Any silt or sediment is retainedbehind the bag 16 and is deposited on the beach 10. This sediment whichwas retained in the water by movement and currents in the water settlesbehind the bag 16 when the water 38 is brought to substantially astandstill by the bag 16.

FIGURE 4 illustrates an arrangement of the bags 16 as energy absorbersfor an onshore wash, as indicated by the arrows 42. The nominal oraverage water level at low tide is indicated on the beach 10 by the line44 and the nominal level of the water during high tide is indicated bythe line 46. The forwardly placed bags 16 are positioned the samedistance from the low tide line 44 as the rearwardly placed bags 16 arepositioned with respect to the high tide line 46. As illustrated inFIGURE 4, the bags 16 overlap with respect to one another to prevent endwash therearound.

FIGURE 5 illustrates an arrangement of the bags 16 for a longshore washas indicated by the arrows 48. As illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, thebags 16 are positioned orthogonally with respect to the direction of thewash, as indicated by the arrows 42, 48. The arrangement illustrated inFIGURE 5 also provides for a staggered relationship between the bags 16in end-to-end overlapping relationship. The bags 16 in each of thearrangements illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 should move a total of theircontact face Width along the beach 10. However, the bags 16 should notcome into contact with one another.

The principles of the invention explained in connection with thespecific exemplifications thereon will suggest many other applicationsand modifications of the same. It is accordingly desired that inconstruing the breadth of the appended claims they shall not be limitedto the specific details shown and described in connection with theexemplifications thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. A system for protection of a shore line and reclamation of suspendedsediment in water adjacent a shore line comprising (a) a plurality ofwave energy absorbers each including (1) a sealed bag of imperviousflexible material,

and

(2) a mixture of aggregate and water in said bag for weighting said bag,said aggregate being solid independent shapes denser than said water andbeing supportingly disposed as a mass against the bottom and lower sidesof said bag, said mass filling substantially no less than the lower halfportion of the bag and having a free upper surface with the shapescapable of moving relative to each other when the bag flexes, said waterfilling the voids between said shapes to a depth substantially at thelevel of the free surface of said mass, and

(b) means for securing each of said absorbers to the shore line inparallel relation to a wave front, and in an overlapping relation withone another.

2. A system for protection of a shore line in accordance with claim 1,wherein the mixture of aggregate and water within the bags fills 50% to90% of the volume of the bags.

3. A system for protection of a shore line in accordance with claim 1,wherein a mixture of aggregate and water fills 70% of the volume of thebags.

4. A system for protection of a shore line in accordance with claim 2,wherein the sealed bags are elongated and have anchoring means at theiropposite ends, anchoring the bags to the shore line orthogonally withrespect to the direction of wash of the waves.

5. A system for protection of a shore line in accordance with claim 4wherein nylon nettings enclose the bags.

References Cited UNITED OTHER REFERENCES Civil Engineering, pp. 31, 32and 33; January 1963.

EARL I WITMER, Primary Examiner.

